


Basil Leaves

by MintyRamen



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Ambiguous Relationships, HebiNeko 1st Years, It’s technically kugushibainulev welp, Multi, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, no love triangles here bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 04:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28593924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MintyRamen/pseuds/MintyRamen
Summary: Shibayama stopped himself and glared into Kuguri’s eyes. The prince simply stared back with half the intensity until his new-found acquaintance broke the silence.“I want to run.”
Relationships: Haiba Lev/Kuguri Naoyasu, Kuguri Naoyasu/Shibayama Yuuki
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





	Basil Leaves

The night started like many others before for Kuguri Naoyasu. A large banquet hosted by his parents, possibly describable as overly flamboyant by the less amicable. The pillars along the courtyard were polished to perfection beforehand; plates of intricate reptilian designs were properly retrieved from the dusty pantry and rid of every speck of dust; a freshly tailored cloak with patterns of purple salvia divinorum atop a maroon background was quite tediously created for the heir of the Hebi royal family. 

Now, wearing said cloak which  _ still _ managed to produce that mildly irritating itch at his throat, Kuguri was speed-walking away from the raucous laughter and clinking of wine glasses. 

The air was the incising kind, the one that filled your lungs and for a moment, caused you to feel weightless, the kind that couldn’t help but compel one to walk to veiled locations and hold a current of giggles-

“Ouch!”

“Ah, whoops,” thought Kuguri, as he lessened his speed slightly in order for his shorter company to catch up.

Shibayama stopped himself and glared into Kuguri’s eyes. The prince simply stared back with half the intensity until his new-found acquaintance broke the silence.

“I want to run.”

Kuguri felt his lips quirk up as he tailed a now sprinting Shibayama towards the vicinity of their destination, his cloak lifting slightly by the prince’s movement and the cool air bringing in the scent of the neighbouring seashore.

* * *

  
“Yuuki’s, less than what most would consider “proper”, reaction is perfectly understandable,” Kuguri thought to himself.   
  


Shibayama’s family has gained significant notoriety recently as they had formed an alliance with the formerly exiled shifters of the mountains. This would then mean Yuuki, who has never really desired to mingle with higher classes or even really attempt to form large social circles, was in an instant bombarded with queries about his education and potential “soul-searching” expeditions to lands of afar, as expected of aristocracy, and basically everything that could make someone break down.

And he did. 

Shibayama Yuuki hadn’t expected anyone to find himself heaving and shaking behind the water fountain near the edge of the property. All he knew for the moments between the moments the stars started to spin until he found himself plucking basil out of the royal gardens (which he was very assuredly told was not a crime) was that there was a silent presence beside him for it's entirety, who was now meticulously placing their basil into large woven baskets.

After 10 mins of pseudo-harvesting without a single sentence over 3 words having been uttered, Kuguri decided to break the silence.

"Do you want to leave?"

Shibayama looked at Kuguri like he had just confessed to kicking a small child.

"E-Excuse me?! What do you mean- Wait...." Realisation and horror struck the boy's face as he deduced Kuguri Naoyasu's identity.

Kuguri sighed as he monotonously persuaded this stranger to not "grovel at his feet as if he were a deity….please…."

Yes, it took  _ quite _ some time to convince this "Yuuki" that it's perfectly acceptable given they inform a nearby member of staff that they were going to “the lagoon”.

So that's how Kuguri found himself partially leading the way towards his favourite place to wind down, mostly where he tended to read during his uneventful late afternoons. Beside him walked a peculiar, fidgeting acquaintance; a boy who teemed with uncertainty and franticness about the what-ifs but occasionally……...seemed to contain centuries within his eyes 

Kuguri felt a sense of solidarity.

* * *

  
“So…..how...are you?”

Kuguri had to refrain from looking too amused at Yuuki’s obvious pained attempt at small talk. They found themselves simply sitting beside each other in a tranquil clearing at the very edge of the lagoon. The air had a slight chill that nipped playfully at their cheeks and across the water was a small area in which lights flickered. 

Fireflies….

“I’m doing well. However, you should have no qualms about making a proper impression on me.” 

Shibayama continued to absent-mindedly scoop at the dirt with a twig, changing to another when his current one snapped.

“Rather than you asking me about my favourite cuisines,” elaborated Kuguri, “I’d much rather see you scream profanities to the heavens with all the creatures currently residing here as your audience.”

Shibayama stared at Kuguri yet again, but this time seemed somewhat intrigued.

Kuguri continued watching the lights bob up and down in the distance, maintaining a face of neutrality. In the end he allowed himself to flick his eyes over to Yuuki and wink.

“Okay.”

Shibayama stood up, hands fisted, eyebrows furrowed, chest puffed out. He started to march towards the water's edge, ignoring the iridescent pebbles he punted along the way.

Yuuki inhaled deeply as Kuguri observed this display with great interest, soon showing concern as he felt a warmth encase the air, coupled with the scent of maple and faint exclamations of victory….

Before Kuguri could warn Shibayama to move back, the cackling whirlwind of leaves swiftly slithered in from the right followed by a shriek and a – “SPLASH!”

"HAH! I WIN AGAIN, LEV!! I DEMAND YOU ACCEPT THAT I’M BETTE – huh?” 

A rapid progression of splashes immediately followed the invisible cries.

“I REFUSE TO ADMIT DEFEAT! YOU DISTRACTED ME WITH THAT SHINY – huh?” 

It was quite a hilarious first meeting that Kuguri would find himself smiling over during moments of solitude. Shibayama was absolutely soaked from head to toe, spluttering out salty water he accidentally inhaled. 

It took 3 minutes to find one of his shoes (which eventually got found thanks to a remorseful Inuoka). 

Kuguri was already wading through the shallow water after haven shaken off his boots and dropping his cape on dry land. When he reached the figure of Shibayama rising up from water, he was instantly tugged behind as Shibayama placed himself between he prince and the inhuman duo. 

“Run back to the palace, Kuguri! I’ll hold them off for as long as I can!”

Kuguri looked at Yuuki. Then he turned his attention to the fish-human hybrid seated upon the particularly large boulder looking at them inquisitively alongside another being. 

His friend’s clothes, if you could even call them clothes by mortal standards, could be described as fashioning an entire forest; twigs and leaves blanketed the entirety of his lower half and often rustled with each movement. On the other hand….the former’s body…...or lack thereof...was another matter entirely.

Kuguri looked back at Yuuki, eyebrow raised.

“I think he’s talking about us,” the dryad stage whispered to his merman friend.

“Do you think the small one has a cat?” responded the aquatic creature, dazed.

“Lev….” repeated Kuguri, remembering what the dryad said earlier. He peered over the top of Yuuki’s head to get a better look at their company. The tip of the merman’s turquoise tail was already moving back and forth across the water’s surface, causing slight ripples to lap against kuguri’s shins. His “fins” protruding from his elbows often caught the moonlight each time he swayed in tandem with his tail. His pointed ears mimicked this motion too, which bobbed up and down beside his silver mop of hair, displaying the two emerald studs attached, two on each side. 

“Pssstt! My prince, did you not hear me?” Yuuki, with a great deal of force and accuracy, poked Kuguri’s rib to get him moving. 

The dryad instantly stepped forward onto the water and remained afloat as he waved his arms around haphazardly.

“Wait! Don’t leave, I'm Inuoka and we promise we don’t eat your kind!”

“Yeah!” piped up Lev, “Teshiro told us human beans taste like tar!”

“Beings.” corrected Kuguri. Shibayama whipped his head to shush his newfound companion.

It was Lev who then initiated the poorly veiled whispering, 

"Do you not think we have seen the one with the pretty hair before?"

"Which one?!"

"I just said the one with the pretty hair!"

"They BOTH have pretty hair, be more specific!" hissed the dryad.

Coughing, Kuguri interrupted their bickering as he steered Yuuki towards dry land.

"Would you kindly tell us why you are on my family's property? – watch your step – I also presume," Kuguri jutted his chin towards Inuoka, "That you causing my friend to fall into the water was....purely accidental? – Yuuki....you're missing your shoe...."

"AH! I APOLOGISE FOR MY ACTIONS, SMALLER ONE!!” – "Just call me Shibayama." – “I WAS RACING THIS OVERGROWN FISH” – “Hey!” – “I SWEAR UPON MY LUCKY BELT THAT I WILL FIND YOUR SHOE“ – “Is that it over there, Shibayama?"

The group squinted to the other side of the lagoon where Lev was pointing towards the fireflies, which continued to dance and pirouette regardless of the chaos.

Not even the fates could explain how his footwear ended up over there.

Before Kuguri and Shibayama could define the dark shape lying hidden amongst the long ferns, Inuoka dematerialised into nothing more than a pile of leaves and branches as he flew across the water, aforementioned tree parts trailing behind. 

By the time Inuoka came back, waving Yuuki's shoe like a flag, Shibayama was already wrapped around in Kuguri's cloak and trying (and failing) to be hostile towards Lev.

"WHAT! You have touched snow? How was it!?" Lev shifted himself so his chin rested upon the palm of his hands as the rest of his tail draped off the large rock kept swirling in the water.

"Cold." shibayama replied bluntly.

Because Kuguri is a fairly benevolent individual, he flicked a tiny pebble at Yuuki's arm and promptly changed his arms to appear to be signaling Inuoka to join them.

"How do you make bread?" questioned Inuoka as flew in to place himself between Lev and Kuguri. He did so right after he very gently placed the shoes in front of yuuki, even bowing. 

As Inuoka was about to sit, he remained suspended in mid-air as his face twisted in concentration. He then went back to Yuuki and gave him two quick pats on his head and returned to his seat looking satisfied.

"U-Um bread! Yes! We have...that." 

Lev and Kuguri made eye contact and snickered.

Then there was silence, with only the breeze rustling the arms of the nearby trees audible. 

Lev and Inuoka were in the middle of their conversation traded entirely in pained facial expressions and dramatic hand gestures until Kuguri let out the tiniest of sneezes.

Everyone instantly stared at Kuguri, who simply shrugged.

"I'm so sorry! Please take this back!" Kuguri sighed as he insisted to Shibayama that he didn’t need the pretentious article of clothing as much.

"May I, my darling fishy acquaintance?"

"....fine, you sentient branch."

Lev jumped off the rock's surface until he was a fair distance from Inuoka, who was now gathering twigs and sticks from his shins and piling them into a medium sized stack.

He then started rubbing his hands and took a hefty breath; tiny sparks started to appear from his hands, its crackle heard with clarity amidst the quiet. Taking five steps back succeeded by two steps forward, he blew across the surface of his palms and into the pile, which burst into hues of red, orange, yellow and a hint of purple.

Shibayama shifted closer to the flames slightly. Kuguri did the same and relished the new warmth. 

“Thank you,” they whispered in unison.

“So....can you give me your name or must I continue referring to you by your beautiful locks, no insult to your adorable friend though, your hair is also incredibly nice.” – “None taken and…..thank you….”

“I will not give it, but you shall call me Kuguri,” cooly responded the prince, as he tilted his head up to look at Lev’s open and curious expression.

Inuoka vocalised his musings at once. “Kuguri…..ah! The king’s son!” 

Lev’s ears perked up instantly. “That’s where I recognised you from! Do you remember anyone waving to you from under the old stone bridge near the waterfall 3 years ago? That was me!”

Kuguri definitely  _ did  _ remember hearing some questionable splashing on the other side of the river when he was on a diplomatic visit with his parents. For a second he thought he heard some cursing in the wind during that blistering hot day, but then was unable to indulge in his curiosity as his carriage continued moving away from the river.

“Perhaps I did….to be truthful, I imagined the splashes were from a pod of dolphins who ventured a bit far inland.”

“Ah! There actually were dolphins with me as well that day”

“It’s true! I saw Lev try to battle three adult dolphins for the last fish.”

“What – ” began Shibayama. 

“Did you win?” mused Kuguri.

“Of course! I truly performed a feat of...” – “Nope!” – “...utmost brav...Inuoka, hush!”

This time Shibayama could not keep a straight face; he burst into giggles as Inuoka defiantly stuck out his tongue in retaliation to Lev’s pout.

* * *

Conversation soon came at ease and laughter in abundance. Inuoka narrated his courageous exploits to the farthest of lands ("You mean the tastiest of bakeries~" "Hush, Lev!") and the merman was excitedly describing his home back at the sea, from which he gained permission to leave by himself for the first time in his life the day before. Apparently he wanted to visit the capital on the other side of the land but he was very strongly advised to try somewhere a bit more residential. 

“Well, it was quiet here, until you arrived with the cyclone right here," teased Kuguri. 

“Yet again I apologise, Shibayama.”

“No need to apo– Wait! Sit back down, Inuoka!”

Inuoka could not be stopped and Yuuki, being the  _ extremely _ intelligent person he is, decided to attempt to flee from the force of nature. Before Kuguri’s flung cloak reaches the ground, Yuuki was already sprinting to the nearby trees with Inuoka giving chase. Sou’s arms reached out for Yuuki, fingers wiggling menacingly.

As soon as Inuoka and Shibayama were out of sight, Kuguri stood up and walked towards Lev. The merman seemed content with simply staying within the water so Kuguri placed himself on the top of the boulder that Lev previously occupied. Kuguri allowed the tips of his toes and to kiss the water’s surface and watched the water ripple with each slight motion.

“Prince Haiba Lev of the Neko kingdom, pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Kuguri declared.

“WHAT?!? HOW DID YOU KNOW??!”

“It was the earrings, crafted by the most skilled of sea witches specifically for the royal family, is it not? I learnt about it in my geopolitics class last month”

“Ah….okay...” Although he was a merman, he seemed to desire for the ground to swallow him whole after realising that Kuguri immediately recognised his royal heritage.

“I don’t particularly mind either way.” Kuguri flicked rock fragments off round stone and saw them plop into the water. “As long as a creature is fine company I have no need to bother with their social standing and wealth.”

“Thank y–” “However,” punctuated Kuguri, “from what I have been able to ascertain about Yuuki today, he can adapt quickly. Whether it be the knowledge that he now has friends of royal blood or that he is inadvertently formed a bond with a dryad....” Kuguri shifted his gaze from his own reflection to the Lev’s, green eyes stared back in the still water.

“ ...I trust that he will be able to handle the truth.”

Lev’s eyes no longer met Kuguri’s within the dark water, instead he raised his head up to look at Kuguri directly. He could tell the mermaid knew a thing or two about insincerity and shallow interactions due to royal lineage.

“....I see.”

Kuguri kicked the surface of the water towards the Lev, inducing cries of protest and annoyance. 

“Don’t fret too much, my dear.”

The young prince didn’t think such melancholic expressions suited a stunning being like Haiba Lev.

Lev was fully prepared to use his tail to drench Kuguri until he realised that Kuguri couldn’t afford to get his clothes wet and so, with a final huff Lev dipped down until only his furrowed eyebrows were visible underneath his suspended mop of silver hair.

“Please don’t be like that, my fishy acquaintance~” 

“You don’t have the right to call me that.” said Lev as he submerged his head more into the water.

“Oh? Might I then call you mine?”

“U-Uh! I mean!–” 

Lev was fortunately saved from answering by Shibayama’s loud descent to the still burning fire. 

“How did you…..” 

“...escape a dryad?!?!” completed Lev.

“With great determination.” Shibayama said with a hint of smugness.

“Seems improbable but I accept your words!” 

The trio then fell into discussion about their favourite cuisines and books, albeit Lev started complaining that “Oh no, not  _ more _ literature fanatics! I already have to deal with Teshiro’s incessant ramblings about the portrayal of sharks in modern day sea shanties!”

Lev also eventually confessed about his royal heritage and Shibayama to his credit, did not overreact with elaborate kneeling and bowing. 

And so they continued to converse about their role as children of high class society and bonded over the sheer tediousness of "elite” clothing. Kuguri soon discovered that Lev was particularly skilled at singing, albeit he tended to have his mind elsewhere in his royal music classes. In return Lev was able to come across the knowledge that Kuguri also did singing lessons, even sometimes writing and reciting poetry. Shibayama requested to read them the next time they were to meet.

Kuguri agreed. Not without a slight blush which was noticeable by everyone but Yuuki, though.

Contrary to first impressions, Kuguri found their interactions peaceful and….

“HELP!! I’VE LOST YUUKI!! I DON’T KNOW WHE– Ah! There you are!”

….this had an odd sense of familiarity.  


* * *

The energy mellowed down after some time. Shibayama yawns came with more frequency and Kuguri even nearly fell asleep on top of Inuoka’s shoulder at one point. 

“I think...I think the humans need to return…” suggested Inuoka softly.

“I think so, too,” Lev acquiesced. 

“WAIT!” Shibayama immediately sat up, back straight, completely awake. “How will we see you again!?”

Kuguri continued looking at the last flickers of the fire steadily die down. Clouds seemed to have shrouded the moon and the stars with great stealth, allowing the darkness to finally creep into the clearing.

“Here! Take these!”

Resting upon Lev’s webbed hands were what seemed to be two precious gems. On closer inspection they turned out to be his very own emerald earrings that were previously worn on his ears.

“Thank you, we will cherish these forever.” Kuguri accepted the gifts graciously.

“There’s more!” announced Inuoka, prompting Shibayama to squint at the piece of jewellery now clutched in his hand.

Lev then initiated an entire lecture about the mystical powers of the earrings, how they would always somehow return to each other once separated, disregarding mortal concepts of time and distance; how invisible strings bind them and allow them to harmonise.

It was quite befuddling to be honest. 

“...anditistypicallygiventoone’sbetrothed…” Lev mumbled.

As Lev began to delve into the complex procedure of crafting ancient magic into the earrings through the use of the harpies’ glass-shattering melodies.

“So what you’re saying is….” Shibayama cut in, “is that we can always locate each other with this?”

“It’s hard to explain, it’s more like a….a..oOOoOoOH!” 

“Lev, what?! No! It’s moreso a HwAaaaaAaah!”

Kuguri and Shibayama shared a look and decided to simply trust their words and start preparing for their departure. 

Shibayama was already a few paces away talking animatedly with Inuoka as Kuguri gathered his shoes and cloak from near the fire. Ensuring to have already shaken out the dust, Kuguri folded his cloak in half and hung it over his forearm. Time to wear his shoes....

"Kuguri?"

"Yes?"

"I'll sing for you one day."

"Likewise."

With a final wiggle of his toes upon the soles of his shoes, Naoyasu walked towards Yuuki after giving Lev one last final nod.

* * *

Once again Naoyasu and Yuuki were traversing across the immaculate turfs of the Nohebi estate. It was cold. Maybe even colder in the absence of Sou and Lev.

“Do you hear that, Naoyasu?”

“Hm?”

Shibayama stiffened as he scanned his surroundings. Kuguri did the same and soon felt a most peculiar atmosphere. On occasion the scent of the sea air coupled with that of freshly fallen leaves after a thunderstorm would fill the air; the slightest of breezes would lift the strands of his unruly head and caress the back of his neck, leaving goosebumps in its wake. 

And then there it was. A lowly hum, rising and falling with an invisible beat. 

Kuguri took out the earring out of his pocket and gestured Yuuki to do the same. 

Together they raised the jewellery towards an ear and listened intently to the musical humming and whistles which emit from it. 

It was the strangest thing, honestly, how Naoyasu could understand Inuoka….no….. _ see  _ Inuoka beaming alongside Lev as they chattered into their emerald studs, hurried musings which the prince could understand in perfect clarity. Judging my Yuuki’s own pensive expression, he believed his friend experienced the same.

And within minutes the mortal duo discovered if they were to talk directly at the earrings, there would be a sound akin to that of a whale’s whistle and the recipients on the other side would understand every word uttered into the shiny jewellery.

After an extra 10 minutes of bidding temporary farewells and promises of communicating at sundown the next day, and one final “Naoyasu, let’s visit the new bakery next week!” from Inuoka, Yuuki and Naoyasu were once again met with silence and a odd, new seashore scent. 

It wasn't a goodbye, then." 

"Apparently not."  
  


Although Naoyasu's words were blunt and at first glance, lacking passion, Yuuki knew better as he observed the prince rub the green stud between his fingers and ever so slowly soften his eyes.

* * *

It was impossible to determine just how long it had been since they left earlier in the night, but it definitely wasn't long enough for the banquet to die down. As the lights of the palace became larger and the orchestra's melody became more apparent, Kuguri and Shibayama started putting more time and less distance between their footsteps. In a few minutes they would attract the attention of the guards who would then escort them inside.

They stopped, and Shibayama began to speak. "Kugu–"

"Thank you."

"Huh?"

"Tonight has been fun." Kuguri lifted his head to look at the crescent moon, his vision getting blurry from the lack of sleep.

"I didn't really– I'm sorry about the cloak– no it should be ME thanki–"

Kuguri simply nodded. He understood.

Shibayama ceased his attempts to articulate his thoughts and followed Naoyasu's gaze toward the moon. 

"Did you mean what you said?" 

"Hm?"

The worry radiating from Kuguri's side was palpable.

"Friends. Are we....?”

Kuguri looked down and locked eyes with Yuuki.

"Are we?"

"....I don't know"

The same softness of the eyes appeared on Naoyasu’s face and his mouth upturned gently.

Yuuki was the one who understood this time and his look of intensity returned once more, this time with a newfound confidence.

"Yes, Kuguri Naoyasu. We are."

With a final nod, Kuguri set off towards the celebration, with his friend Shibayama Yuuki by his side and a single emerald earring clutched in his right hand.

**Author's Note:**

> Oooooh you wanna follow my Twitter so badddd @a_n_ramen oooooooh and hear my essays worth of thought processes and characterisations
> 
> Yes, I’m the obnoxious person who includes plant symbolism in their writing.


End file.
